


lyrical

by ohlawsons



Series: the deòir twins [3]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/F, Pillars Prompts Weekly, yall i'm real nervous about writing pallegina
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 16:54:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14217570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohlawsons/pseuds/ohlawsons
Summary: “You’re beautiful,” Anwyn says quietly, the words meant only for the two of them, “and at the risk of sounding like a selfish woman, I would ask to steal your attention all for myself.”





	lyrical

**Author's Note:**

> for @pillarspromptsweekly 0029: temptation! this goes along with my owain fic "poetic" but in no way relies on it, they just take place at the same time

****

Anwyn knows, of course, how the godlike received their name. It’s the touch of one from beyond the Wheel that leaves a mark upon some small fraction of kith and shapes them in the image of the one to reach out to them. Or so the stories say.

But now she thinks that can’t be right because here, watching Pallegina dance in the common room of the Gref’s Rest, glowing in the soft firelight, Anwyn thinks the name must have come from the fact that her beauty could easily rival that of any of the gods. It is, perhaps, not the most clever of conclusions to draw, but she blames it on the alcohol and the celebration; their successful return from Durgan’s Battery hadn’t gone unnoticed by the people of Stalwart, and Anwyn and her brother had been treated to an evening filled with music and drinking and dancing.

Owain is, unsurprisingly, something of the life of the party, taking the time to chat and dance with nearly everyone gathered in the tavern. Most of the rest of their group has alternated between the bar and the dance floor, and Anwyn herself is content to sip at her wine and converse with the few who have made their way over to the corner she’s hidden herself away in.

Mostly, though, her attention tonight has been entirely captured by Pallegina.

They’ve been… conservative, in their courtship, to the point where Anwyn wonders if that’s even what it _is_. She doesn’t push it, because after all, it’s barely been two months since they’ve met, but the way Pallegina looks tonight combined with the rowdy, victorious atmosphere of Stalwart is making her brave. Her eyes are locked on the paladin, and she sips at her wine and makes no effort to conceal the way her gaze lingers as Pallegina drifts through the room, twirling and swaying with Maneha. She would be jealous, except she doesn’t dance and even if she did, she would be far too distracted to focus at all on the steps; she wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation to pull her close, let her hands wander, let her lips roam across Pallegina’s skin.

Anwyn’s grip tightens on her glass, and she takes another sip of her wine and swallows hard because her mind has moved on from dancing.

Eventually the song comes to an end, and Pallegina breaks from Maneha and retakes her seat by Anwyn at the bar; as she sits, Anwyn sets down her wine glass — too hard, and drops of red splash onto her hand but neither of them comment on it — and she leans in towards Pallegina, her free hand reaching for her knee to steady herself. “You’re beautiful,” she says quietly, the words meant only for the two of them, “and at the risk of sounding like a selfish woman, I would ask to steal your attention all for myself.”

Pallegina pulls back just enough to regard her with a heavy, wry look, an eagerness in her eyes despite the faint blush on her cheeks and the uncertain way she clears her throat. Anwyn knows she’s being too obvious about what exactly she has in mind once the two of them find some privacy — not that it’s a _bad_ thing, considering that had been precisely her intention. After a long moment, Pallegina’s lips curl into a smile and when she speaks, there’s a challenge in her voice. “So steal me away.”

“Gladly.” Her wine glass already discarded, Anwyn’s hand moves to find Pallegina’s and she pulls her up from her seat and tugs her around the edge of the common room. She maneuvers the pair of them towards the stairs, fingers lacing with Pallegina’s protectively as she notices the wide, knowing grin they receive from Owain. She glares at him but resists the sporadic urge to say something; they aren’t children anymore, after all, like when she would stick her tongue out every time he would tell on her to their father. Besides, as much as she would love to mock him — lovingly, of course; he _is_ still her brother — about the way he and Aloth are avoiding each other despite being so clearly uninterested in anyone else, she isn’t sure she could form a witty enough retort given the way her mind is so entirely focused on the woman beside her.

She pauses once they reach the top of the stairway, glancing from the door to the room she’d been planning to share with Edér and the door to Pallegina’s room; but before Anwyn can say anything, Pallegina keeps walking and leads them towards her own room. “Maneha can move,” she says simply, pushing the door open. As soon as they’re inside Anwyn feels her resolve slip, slamming the door closed behind her with her foot — too eager and too loud but she can’t find it within herself to care at the moment — and letting herself lean back against it, pulling Pallegina gently towards her. One hand moves up to her face, a finger trailing across her jawline to Pallegina’s lips.

Her lips curl into the beginnings of a grin, and one of her hands lifts from Anwyn’s waist to reach for her wrist as Pallegina places a kiss first to her palm, then leans forward to place her lips to Anwyn’s in a kiss that’s filled with such heat and intensity that it leaves her lightheaded. A low sound of disappointment slips from her as Pallegina pulls away, but any argument she would have dissipates at the look in her eyes — those piercing, golden eyes that Anwyn has come to love so much — so instead of saying anything she wraps her arms around Pallegina’s waist and presses closer.

Pallegina ducks her head so that her lips just brush along Anywn’s ear, and when she speaks her voice is low and breathy and it sends a shiver rolling down Anwyn’s spine. “You are… impatient,” she says, and the observation is followed by a quiet string of unfamiliar Vailian words and the tone draws a quiet hum of pleasure from Anwyn. “I haven’t ever seen you this way.”

“Are you enjoying it?” Before Pallegina can answer, she continues, “Because I’ve been the very model of patience all night. I’ve been drinking, and you’ve been dancing — _all night_ ,” she emphasizes, “and I’ve been left at the mercy of my own imagination.” She feels Pallegina shift her weight against her, and Anwyn can’t help but wonder if she’s being too forward; she’s never been clever with words like this, so instead of continuing with the thought she lets her arms rest behind Pallegina’s neck and takes a moment to simply drink in her presence. “You are _breathtaking_ , and there are few on Eora as lucky as I am for earning your attention.”

The heady atmosphere of the evening wavers as Pallegina’s response is caught in her throat at the confession, and as she stutters out a noncommittal acknowledgment Anwyn allows herself a small smile at seeing the paladin so suddenly flustered.

“Speechless already?”

The words draw a flash of determination from Pallegina, and with a renewed focus she reaches and picks her up, entirely unfazed by her weight — Anwyn tightens her grip on Pallegina and wraps her legs around her waist, and both of them are too distracted to comment on the surprised squeak that escapes her — before pressing a slow, lingering kiss to Anwyn’s lips. “Hardly,” she says as she breaks the kiss, the word spoken low and soft against Anwyn’s skin. “You’ll  have to do better than that.”

“Well, I have all night.”

 


End file.
